Attrition
by ChrissiHR
Summary: A collection of 100-word drabbles written for The Twilight Twenty-Five Challenge, Round 9, Central Character Round; Author's Choice: Paul Lahote. Ratings/pairings/genre varies. Ratings are noted at the top of each drabble. Drabble collection, COMPLETE.
1. 01 Ancient

**at·tri·tion** əˈtriSHən/ _noun_ **1**. wearing down or away, the action or process of gradually reducing the strength or effectiveness of someone or something through sustained attack or pressure. **2**. regret, (in scholastic theology) sorrow, but not contrition, for sin.

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**A/N:** _"Attrition" is my collection of 100-word drabbles written for __**The Twilight Twenty-Five Challenge, Round 9**__. The challenge is to write twenty-five pieces of fiction in either one-shot (1000+ words), flashfiction (300 - 500 words), or drabble (exactly 100 words) format. I chose to do mine entirely in the drabble format because I've never completed a 100-word drabble challenge before._

_Round 9 of The Twi 25 is a __**Central Character Round**__, so all drabbles are based on the same central character chosen by each individual author for their challenge. I chose __**Paul Lahote**__._

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**The Twilight Twenty-Five**

**thetwilight25 dot com**

**Prompt: 01. Ancient**

**Main Character: Paul Lahote**

**Rating: T**

**Word Count: 100**

* * *

The crumbling pages of his great-grandfather's timeworn journal detailed the experiences of the last pack—their only un-mated wolf.

According to Ephraim's journal in Bella's trembling hands, he died bitter and alone from a nomad's bite, estranged from the only son he'd ever bothered to claim.

That history could well be repeating itself was obvious.

What Paul wanted to know was how to stop the cycle.

"B? What do I do?"

She shook her head. "I can't answer that. I can tell you where you'll end up if you stay on this path. Only you can forge a new one."


	2. 02 Animalistic

**The Twilight Twenty-Five**

**thetwilight25 dot com**

**Prompt: 02. Animalistic**

**Main Character: Paul Lahote**

**Rating: M**

**Word Count: 100**

* * *

Paul fumed. He needed an imprint like his wolf needed another cock. Sure, it'd be fun, but what would he do with it? "Rachel-fucking-Black can go right the fuck back where she came from. I'm nobody's bitch and I'll be damned if I'll be her fucking butt-monkey for the rest of the my life just because the fucking Spirits deemed it fucking so."

"Jesus Christ, Paul. Do you think you could fit a few more 'fuck's in there?"

"Listen, asshole. 'Fuck' isn't a word to me; it's a fucking comma. You know what? Eat a dick, Uley. We're done here."


	3. 03 Banned

**The Twilight Twenty-Five**

**thetwilight25 dot com**

**Prompt: 03. Banned**

**Main Character: Paul Lahote**

**Rating: T**

**Word Count: 100**

* * *

"You wanna see a movie?" he asked, pulling on his wrinkled T-shirt.

"Like a date?" she jerked back in disbelief with a surprised squeak.

He snorted, perched with one leg on either side of the windowsill, waiting on Bella. "Yeah, like a date. If you're lucky, I might even put out afterwards," he sneered.

She flushed, eyes sliding over the bed, then widening in remembrance.

Seeing the bed made it worse.

"The theater in Port A?"

She nodded, brows furrowing, on the verge of asking why.

"Got kicked out of the one in Forks. You _really_ don't wanna know. Honest."


	4. 04 Complications

**The Twilight Twenty-Five**

**thetwilight25 dot com**

**Prompt: 04. Complications**

**Main Character: Paul Lahote**

**Rating: T**

**Word Count: 100**

* * *

Paul emerged from the darkened hallway, eyes downcast, shoulders hunched.

The pack waited respectfully for news, but Paul crossed the room instead, slumping at Bella's feet. He laid his head in her lap.

"Paul?" Bella touched his cheek.

"The doctor said there were complications. The baby's heart rate…" he trailed off, turning, mumbling into her lap. "I'm not Leah's husband and she's unconscious. There's nobody to vouch for me. I'm just a guy who maybe got her pregnant—the guy with the bad rep whose baby might be dying while he's forced to wait out here like some distant cousin."


	5. 05 Covert

**The Twilight Twenty-Five**

**thetwilight25 dot com**

**Prompt: 05. Covert**

**Main Character: Paul Lahote**

**Rating: M**

**Word Count: 100**

* * *

"Baby Alpha would shit a kitten if he could see you now," Paul whispered in the dark.

"Stop gloating and catch me, Lahote," Bella grumbled.

Widening his stance, he braced himself, grunting louder than was strictly necessary when he caught her slight weight.

"Asshole," she griped under her breath.

Paul snorted a laugh.

"You know it, sugar tits. So, where to now that we're out and unsupervised?"

"How do you feel about cliff-diving?"

"Depends." He smirked.

"On what?" she demanded.

"We doing it naked?"

"Is that a deal-breaker?"

"Let's say it is." His eyes sparkled with mischief.

"You're on, Lahote."


	6. 06 Crush

**The Twilight Twenty-Five**

**thetwilight25 dot com**

**Prompt: 06. Crush**

**Main Character: Paul Lahote**

**Rating: T**

**Word Count: 100**

* * *

Everybody had a fucking boner for that Uley asshole.

Paul didn't get it. He was no better than anybody else on the rez, abandoned by his father just like Paul and that Makah kid, Embry, that everybody said was probably his brother.

Standing by his locker, Paul watched out of the corner of his eye as Sam, that arrogant bastard, swept Leah up with a surprised squawk from behind.

When his deep baritone voice rumbled in her ear, she sighed, relaxing into his arms.

One day, Sam was gonna fuck up.

Paul would be there to pick up the pieces.


	7. 07 Desecrate

**The Twilight Twenty-Five**

**thetwilight25 dot com**

**Prompt: 07. Desecrate**

**Main Character: Paul Lahote**

**Rating: M**

**Word Count: 100**

* * *

"You're Bella's friend—the preacher's kid, Angela?" He looked her up and down with a gleam in his eye. "You a virgin?"

"What?" she sputtered, indignant. "Of course I'm a virgin!"

"Right." He rolled his eyes, adjusting his dick through his shorts, "That's what they all say. Spit or swallow, sweetheart?"

Her eyes changed, going sly. "What makes you think I do either?"

"You've licked your lips twice already and you keep staring at my dick. It doesn't take a mindreader, babe." He rubbed a hand slowly over his bare chest. "Got a little thing for the dark meat, huh?"


	8. 08 Disheveled

**The Twilight Twenty-Five**

**thetwilight25 dot com**

**Prompt: 08. Disheveled**

**Main Character: Paul Lahote**

**Rating: M**

**Word Count: 100**

* * *

"Paul, this is unhealthy. We're worried about you. You can't go on like this," Emily said, prying the bottle of Jack from his fingers.

"Oh, yeah? Watch me."

"This would break her heart, honey. It would kill her to know what you've done to yourself. She only wanted you to be free from one more burden. You've had so many. This was her gift."

"This is not a fucking_ gift_, Em! It's a curse!" He snatched the bottle, hurling it into the fireplace. _"WHY?!"_ he screamed, veins popping in his forehead and neck, hands fisting his hair.

"She loved you."


	9. 09 Exposed

**The Twilight Twenty-Five**

**thetwilight25 dot com**

**Prompt: 09. Exposed**

**Main Character: Paul Lahote**

**Rating: M, contains M/M relationship**

**Word Count: 100**

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Quil, Jake, and Bella barged into Embry's room early one Saturday morning, laughing and tumbling over each other like puppies.

Jake was just about to tell Embry to get his lazy ass out of bed, yelping instead when he spotted two bare brown asses and two pair of broad shoulders, both inked on one side with the pack tattoo, nestled together on the bed.

"What the fuck…?" Quil whispered, clutching Bella.

Snatching at the discarded top sheet, Paul flicked it over Embry's sleeping form, ordering in a vicious whisper, "Get the fuck out and forget that you were ever here."


	10. 10 Fabricate

**The Twilight Twenty-Five**

**thetwilight25 dot com**

**Prompt: 10. Fabricate**

**Main Character: Paul Lahote**

**Rating: M**

**Word Count: 100**

* * *

Paul snarled at the first unwanted touch of some skank who was definitely _not_ pack. All he wanted to do was grab a few beers and hot dogs and watch Swan cross and uncross those long curvy legs. He noticed earlier there were no panties under that fuck-hot mini skirt she wore to taunt Jake.

"Sh!" Lauren hissed. "Play along, okay?"

He relaxed. At least he knew _this_ skank. "Tell you what, blondie, you want the illusion of a relationship with the hot native piece of man-meat? I want the benefits of playing the role of arm candy."

"Fair enough."


	11. 11 Forbidden

**The Twilight Twenty-Five**

**thetwilight25 dot com**

**Prompt: 11. Forbidden**

**Main Character: Paul Lahote**

**Rating: M**

**Word Count: 100**

* * *

"What can I do for you?" Paul leaned in the doorway as if he hadn't a care in the world, as if his friends' mother wasn't standing on his doorstep looking for guilt-free sex.

She fidgeted nervously. "I'm seeing someone. Well, I'm sure you know that already, but he…"

"But he'll want commitment," Paul nodded in understanding. "None of that worry here," he said, arms splayed as he turned, showing off his assets.

She gulped. "This was a bad idea. I don't know if I can—"

"Sh! You don't have to do a thing, Sue," he crooned. "Let me."


	12. 12 Forgotten

**The Twilight Twenty-Five**

**thetwilight25 dot com**

**Prompt: 12. Forgotten**

**Main Character: Paul Lahote**

**Rating: M**

**Word Count: 100**

* * *

Paul storms into the house, slamming the storm door, nearly tearing it off its hinges.

He's pissed and he's not even sure why.

Pausing, he scents the air in the stale house. A familiar honeyed cream scent lingers, like she was just here.

"Swan?" he calls out, stalking into the kitchen.

She's sitting at the table with an envelope and a plate with a small cake on it.

"I didn't think you'd want any candles," she explains.

"What are you-?" he searches her face.

_Did her forget her birthday? _

He asks.

She laughs. "No, but apparently you forgot yours."


	13. 13 Hunger

**The Twilight Twenty-Five**

**thetwilight25 dot com**

**Prompt: 13. Hunger**

**Main Character: Paul Lahote**

**Rating: M, contains M/M slash relationship**

**Word Count: 100**

* * *

Warmth spread through Paul's belly, gluttonous lust overriding exhaustion as a velvety tongue eagerly explored his flesh, chilled and damp in the cool morning air.

They'd slept with the windows open to help diffuse the heat, though waking up to another delicious kind of warmth was more than welcome this morning.

He groaned when one of his nuts was engulfed in the warm cavern of a greedy mouth as two slick fingers pressed against his rear entrance.

Arching his back, he moaned when they sought out and pressed on his prostate. Bucking and thrashing, he erupted, growling darkly, "Jake, _mine_."


	14. 14 Innocence

**The Twilight Twenty-Five**

**thetwilight25 dot com**

**Prompt: 14. Innocence**

**Main Character: Paul Lahote**

**Rating: M**

**Word Count: 100**

* * *

"Don't do virgins anymore," Paul growled, incensed to find the girl naked in his bed.

"Who ever said I was a virgin?" she demanded.

"What the fuck did you just say?" he hissed.

Her exasperation was evident. "What made you think I was a virgin?"

He opened his mouth, drawing her scent over his tongue, then snapped it shut as he closed in on the enticing little morsel laid out like an offering to the pagan gods on white cotton.

"Paul, were you keeping your distance because of some misplaced Victorian ideal about preserving my virtue?"

"Not anymore," he rumbled.


	15. 15 Insidious

**The Twilight Twenty-Five**

**thetwilight25 dot com**

**Prompt: 15. Insidious**

**Main Character: Paul Lahote**

**Rating: M**

**Word Count: 100**

* * *

Paul stood at the screen door, dressed for Halloween, decked out head-to-toe in pink, with a cape and a giant 'P' on his chest.

"'P' for Paul?" Bella guessed.

He licked his lips, "Nope! 'P' for 'pussy' because no pussy in La Push is safe from Paul the Pussy-chaser!"

Bella choked on her drink. "So that's your insidious plan? Wear pink and watch the bitches fall at your feet?"

"Bitches love a man in tights," he sneered, stroking his obvious bulge.

"I think I'd enjoy you more out of them," she muttered.

Jake coughed, spraying his beer all over Quil.


	16. 16 Kingdom

**The Twilight Twenty-Five**

**thetwilight25 dot com**

**Prompt: 16. Kingdom**

**Main Character: Paul Lahote**

**Rating: M**

**Word Count: 100**

* * *

Paul's standing in the kitchen, surveying his new apartment over Ateara's General Store.

It's small, and cluttered with paint and canvasses, but it's his.

Bella knocks, holding out a tiny terracotta pot with a cactus.

He takes it, frowning, unsure where to put it.

"I brought housewarming gift_s_," she leans on the 's', unloading a broom, salt shaker, and loaf of bread. "It's tradition. The broom will sweep away the bad fortune and sweep in the good, the salt is for protection and safe-keeping, and the bread is so you may never know hunger as long as you live here."


	17. 17 Limit

**The Twilight Twenty-Five**

**thetwilight25 dot com**

**Prompt: 17. Limit**

**Main Character: Paul Lahote**

**Rating: M**

**Word Count: 100**

* * *

Paul stood in the middle of the store, elbows tucked in, trying not to move too much. He felt huge and bulky amid all the frilly shit as Bella moved from rack to rack, resigned to shopping just to get it over with.

"What's this place called again?" he grumbled.

"The Limited."

"Whaddaya need with all this shit anyway?" He poked a shapeless jacket.

"Camisoles," she mumbled absently.

He gave her a blank look.

She held up a sheer, filmy top in shimmering emerald green with lace trim and matching panties.

He growled. "Get the red one, too. No bra."


	18. 18 Mist

**The Twilight Twenty-Five**

**thetwilight25 dot com**

**Prompt: 18. Mist**

**Main Character: Paul Lahote**

**Rating: M**

**Word Count: 100**

* * *

The raven-haired beauty offered her hand to Paul as Emily introduced them, "This is my friend, Misty, from—"

"Seattle," Paul interrupted. "Yeah, I remember."

"Just 'Mist'," the girl insisted. "I'm sorry. You have me at a disadvantage. Have we met?" her eyes searched his face, looking for clues to his identity.

"Met?" Paul's eyebrows winged up in surprise, memories flooding back in a tidal wave of lust. "Yeah, you could say that." He stepped closer, murmuring in her ear, "Remember me now?"

Her scent bloomed when his bedroom voice registered and he knew—she remembered every lick and thrust.


	19. 19 Pristine

**The Twilight Twenty-Five**

**thetwilight25 dot com**

**Prompt: 19. Pristine**

**Main Character: Paul Lahote**

**Rating: M**

**Word Count: 100**

* * *

"You aren't really going to marry the popsicle, right?"

Her breath hitched. "I don't think I have any choice."

"Look at me, Swan." He tipped her chin up. "As long as I live, you will always have a choice. What do you want?"

"I want to live," she whispered as the tears fell.

The sound of fabric rending broke the moment.

Looking down at the tattered remnants of her once-designer gown, the white silk ruined and unsalvageable, she sighed.

Relief.

Tugging his T-shirt over her head, he boosted her up in his arms and leapt over the balcony.

To freedom.


	20. 20 Serendipity

**The Twilight Twenty-Five**

**thetwilight25 dot com**

**Prompt: 20. Serendipity**

**Main Character: Paul Lahote**

**Rating: M**

**Word Count: 100**

* * *

Paul rolled to a stop behind the rusty sedan on the side of the road.

Hopping out, he froze, scenting the air. Growling, he jogged casually to the window of the car and tapped. "Mrs. Ateara?"

"Oh, Paul! Thank goodness! The car just died on m—"

He held a finger to his lips and whispered quietly. "I smell three vampires, ma'am, nearby, too. Get out of the car, stay by my side. You slide in the driver's side of my truck. No seatbelt. You stick to me like glue. Understand?"

She sucked in a breath, eyes wide, and nodded.


	21. 21 Shattered

**The Twilight Twenty-Five**

**thetwilight25 dot com**

**Prompt: 21. Shattered**

**Main Character: Paul Lahote**

**Rating: M**

**Word Count: 100**

* * *

Desperate, racking sobs caught the attention of the lone silver wolf on patrol.

Phasing back, he observed the little brunette from Forks, Bella's friend, Jessica. Her eyes were red from weeping, underscored by dark circles.

Sighing, he crouched in the sand, hauling her into his arms.

"Where— you— taking—"

"Sh…" he crooned. "Bella's at my place cooking for the bonfire tonight."

"O-heh-kay," she rasped, hiccuping.

Cradling her in one arm, Paul pulled the wrinkled shirt from his back pocket and offered it. "Here."

She sobbed. "I'll-heh get it all-heh—"

"Shirts wash." he shrugged it off and kept walking.


	22. 22 Treasure

**The Twilight Twenty-Five**

**thetwilight25 dot com**

**Prompt: 22. Treasure**

**Main Character: Paul Lahote**

**Rating: M**

**Word Count: 100**

* * *

Paul smirked, his eyes trained on the delicate, silvery shell in his palm.

It was perfect.

He jogged home, slipping in the rear door and up the backstairs with his precious cargo.

After a quick polish, he tapped out a tiny hole to run the delicate hemp and leather strands through, deftly weaving the hand-made bead into Bella's gift.

Renee gave him a heads up during her recent visit.

Bella would spit in his face if presented with a diamond, but a gift from the heart, made by hand, she would be unable to resist.

He was counting on it.


	23. 23 Tryst

**The Twilight Twenty-Five**

**thetwilight25 dot com**

**Prompt: 23. Tryst**

**Main Character: Paul Lahote**

**Rating: M**

**Word Count: 100**

* * *

Leaning over the bed, Paul's mouth devoured Kim's, taking one last sip for the road.

"Don't forget to take a shower," he reminded her.

"Why?"

"Are you trying to get caught? Jare's gonna take a chunk out of my ass if he finds out, or have you forgotten that?"

"He can try," she said smugly, stretching, touching herself lewdly, torturing Paul.

Paul shook his head.

_Focus, asshole!_

"He's my brother."

"Bullshit. He's not even your friend anymore."

"Kim, he's my pack mate…" he began.

"And if that meant anything at all, would you still be fucking his imprint?" she sneered.


	24. 24 Waffle

**The Twilight Twenty-Five**

**thetwilight25 dot com**

**Prompt: 24. Waffle**

**Main Character: Paul Lahote**

**Rating: M**

**Word Count: 100**

* * *

"Jake said Emily makes the best waffles," Bella pouted, setting a tower of them before Paul. Stroking his head, she murmured, "Savor every bite of those homemade Nutella waffles, banana cream filling, and hand-whipped cream, babe."

His eyes gleamed, darting from her to his breakfast.

"And if you remember them when you phase to patrol later…"

"Ha! You're evil."

She smirked, pleased he was willing to play along.

He pulled her into his lap. "That's how I know you were meant to be mine. You like torturing Blueblooded-Baby-Black almost as much as I do," he said with a smacking kiss.


	25. 25 Worthless

**The Twilight Twenty-Five**

**thetwilight25 dot com**

**Prompt: 25. Worthless**

**Main Character: Paul Lahote**

**Rating: M**

**Word Count: 100**

* * *

Paul stood over his mother's grave in the rez cemetery, staring at the cheap trinkets left by her friends.

Bella took his hand. "Come. Let me cook for you. We'll eat a little something and then—"

"Would you stay? With me?" He shook his head. "Not for sex," he qualified after a time as they walked back to his place.

Pulling her inside, he gathered her up, heading to his room.

"I need this." His hoarse voice betrayed the tears as he crawled into the middle of his bed and settled her on his lap. "Just this, okay?"

"Okay."


End file.
